The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-16

Line meaneSG soul Is TO lind enlarge
ment and strength. The new life, the
life elysian, is to be, in the terms of
the Apostle, incorruptible, honorable,
glorious, strong, spiritual. There will
be there, think, no such hell as hard
hearted men have fancied. Can there
be worse bells than those on earth, in
which drunkards dwell ? and violent
men and sensualists ? and swindlers
and slanderers We need not be anx-
ious lest such as these shall not receive
due retribution. The heavenly Father
loves his children too well to permit
their contented residence in the tents
of wickedness. And if the connection
between base acts and conscience were
severed, so that the former is not noted
by the latter, what is it but paralysis
of the soul, to be treated by the Great
Physician ? And who does not prefer
pain to paralysis ? But in the life ely
sian, the greater hope contemplates
the accomplishment Of the heavenly
Fathers purpose regarding his children:
30 blissful timel glorious day
When all beneath loves boundless sway
Overwhelmed with bliss shall fall
Shall with united souls accord
That Christ in God is sovereign Lord,
And God is all in ALL
This is not rejoicing that the spirit
ual law is ever to be reversed; or that
souls are to be ''saved anyhow" re-
joice in believing that always sin is
evil and bitter, and the sinner needs the
experience of its evil in himself.
Wherever there is disobedience of the
Divine law, there are it's baleful conse-
quences, inseparable from it. But what
a loving Father may be expected to do
with his rebellious children, is to quell
their Righteousness, and make them
loyal to filial duty. Can he not compel
them to be loyal If he is wise, he can
persuade, discipline, influence, without
interference with the law Of their free
dom, which he himself ordained for the
welfare of his family. 1 dare not say
he will not succeed in all his plans for
the correction, the betterment, the COM
plete education and salvation of all his
human creation. Who dares set bounds
to the love and the wisdom of God
Who dares say that he cannot convert
the whole race of mankind to the knowl-
edge and obedience of himself ? Who
dares say that he will not do it :?
And this life, according to Christian
faith, becomes, with all it's contingent
cies Of pain and sorrow, and the very
shadow of death, the primary school of
our souls, to lead in the fulness of times
to the grand University in which we
shall all be educated to fitness of
Divine knowledge, and to holiness of
spirit. Perhaps we shall learn that our
heavenly Father cares first for the de-
velopment of human character, and
only secondarily for human enjoyment.
Our true joys depend upon character
and it is because Jesus influences char
acter, that he promotes spiritual COM
fort and joy. When we approach his
stature, we see beyond death into the
glory of heaven, and our hearts are
comforted concerning those wha-- Aave
fallen asleep.
30, that men would praise the Lord
for his goodness, and eore mis- wonderful
works to the children of men ~ in the
gift Of these earthly tabernacles in
which we dwell for a season in the
hopes which Jesus made so bright; in
the faith communicated to men of Gods
fatherly care and love, of the POSSIBLE
tiles Of earth and heaven, and of the
certain accomplishment of his loving
purpose; in the divine inspiration of
his Son; and of his final triumph over
every enemy of man /; in short, 20 that
men would praise the Lord for his
goodness" in the subsection of man.
kind to vanity, with the sure and stead
fast hope of their deliverance, in Gods
good time, from the bondage of corrup-
ton into the glorious liberty of the
children of God.
1.-THE ransomed of the Lord shall come
To lions holy hill,
And songs of praise and shouts of joy
The heavenly courts shall fill;
And every knee shall bow to God,
And every tongue confess,
That God the Lord, their helper is,
Their strength and righteousness"
A NV